


Nightmares

by Likelightinglass



Series: Severitus Drabbles [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: But he's trying, Fluff, Fluff and Humor, Gen, Nightmares, Severitus | Severus Snape is Harry Potter's Parent, Severus has no idea what he's doing, warm milk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-24
Updated: 2020-02-24
Packaged: 2021-02-19 04:09:48
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,033
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22871617
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Likelightinglass/pseuds/Likelightinglass
Summary: Harry has a nightmare. Severus has no idea what to do.
Relationships: Harry Potter & Severus Snape
Series: Severitus Drabbles [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1531802
Comments: 16
Kudos: 232





	Nightmares

**Author's Note:**

> Just something to clear out the cobwebs in my brain since it's been so long since I've written anything. This is chronologically the first fic in the Severitus Drabbles series, though they don't need to be read in order. Enjoy!

Severus awoke in the middle of a night to a harrowing shriek and had jumped out of bed with his wand at the ready when he realized where the noise was coming from.

The newest inhabitant of his house (well actually, the only real addition since him) was apparently having a nightmare. Severus quietly approached the bedroom the six year old Harry Potter had taken over, no longer hearing shrieks but now quiet whimpers coming from behind the bedroom door.

“Harry,” Severus said, knocking lightly at the wood door frame and easing the cracked door open slightly more ajar. “Are you alright?”

A sniffle came from the lump on the bed, curled up in a ball with covers pulled up to the mess of unruly black hair. “Yes, sir. I’m s-sorry for waking you, sir,” the boy said in a pitiful tone, hiccoughing.

Severus hesitated. It had only been a little over a week that Harry had been under his care, and he hadn’t yet been presented with a situation quite like this. He had no idea how to take care of a crying child, especially one who’d been through so much in his short life as Harry. But certainly, saying good night and returning to bed wasn’t the proper course of action either. He opened the door a bit wider. “May I come in?”

Green eyes peeked over the edge of the blanket. “Yes?” Harry replied, and Severus had to bite his tongue before replying “Are you asking me or telling me?” and was momentarily overcome with the horrifying thought that he was going to become his mother.

Instead, he sat on the edge of the bed, offering a quick pat to Harry’s back that he hoped came across as comforting and not that he obviously had no idea what he was doing. Harry flinched immediately at the contact and Severus desperately searched for something to say.

“Do you want to…talk about it?” he asked.

Harry just looked wary and confused. “I don’t really remember much. Just a scary voice, and a scream…I think there was a bright light…” His voice cracked and he looked like he was about to cry again. He pulled his arms around his legs, tightening up his small frame as if trying to disappear and refusing to meet Severus’ eyes. “It’s stupid, I’m sorry, sir, I’ll go back to sleep now.”

Severus very much doubted Harry was going to be able to get back to sleep anytime soon, the child was still trembling. He suddenly remembered seeing something from a program on the telly once and before he could formulate the request in a way that made sense, he just exclaimed, “warm milk!” at a higher volume than the situation probably called for.

Harry blinked, looking more confused than afraid now at least, which Severus decided to just accept as a step in the right direction. “Sir?” he asked, bemused.

Severus cleared his throat, and rose to his feet, extending his hand out to Harry. “Come now, on to the kitchen with you,” he said with more confidence than he felt. “I’ll get you a glass of warm milk and that will help you feel better.”

“All…alright,” Harry said, his large green eyes still blinking slowly, apparently trying to determine what warm milk had to do with anything but at least willing to follow direction.

Severus led Harry down to the kitchen and sat him at the table. When he noticed the boy, still too thin by far, was shivering, he accioed a thick blanket from the other room and draped it over Harry’s shoulders. A couple minutes later a glass of warm milk was set in front of Harry, who stared at it, then Severus, before making a hesitant move towards the glass.

“Go on then,” said Severus, and Harry took a small sip.

“Are you going to have any?” asked Harry after a minute or two of awkward silence had passed.

“Oh.” Severus glanced at the saucepan, shrugged, and poured a small glass for himself. He took a sip. “I don’t know if I like warm milk,” he said with a frown. He turned to Harry. “Do you?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said, considering. “I don’t think I’ve ever had it.”

“Neither have I,” Severus said. They both stared at their glasses for another moment, the quiet of the night stretching out as Severus second guessed his plan.

“Why are we drinking it then?” Harry finally broke the silence, bewildered.

“I think that’s what adults are supposed to do when children have nightmares,” Severus confessed. “Isn’t it?”

“I don’t know,” Harry said. “My aunt and uncle just got angry with me if I woke them up.”

“Ah,” said Severus, at a loss for words. “Well. Did the milk not make you feel better?”

Harry considered. “I’m not thinking about my dream anymore.”

“That’s good then.” Severus took another sip of the milk and grimaced a bit. “I can’t remember the last I’ve had milk outside of tea.”

Harry smiled at that. Then began to giggle. After a moment more he was laughing uncontrollably. “You’re strange,” he finally said. Before Severus could react to that, Harry added, quietly, “I like it here.”

Severus tightened his lips in a quick smile. “Good. Are you ready to go back to sleep, do you think?”

Harry tilted his head, considering his next words. “Could we watch the telly together for a bit?”

“I may be new at this,” Severus said with an amused tone, “but I do know children shouldn’t be allowed to watch telly at two in the morning, nightmares or not.”

“Oh, okay,” Harry said, trying to hide the disappointment.

“But I’ll read to you a bit until you fall asleep, how about that?” Severus offered, scrambling for an appropriate idea.

Harry’s whole face brightened. “Alright!”

Severus collected the glasses and cleaned up the kitchen. “Up to bed with you now, pick out something to read and I’ll be up shortly.”

As Severus made his way up the creaking stairs he wondered if he was ever going to get any better at this “being a parent” business. Hopefully, for Harry’s sake, he’d eventually manage.


End file.
